staying legal

[kapi-0465]

I have been running with my CB radio for years,,, always staying legal, wattage and frequencies, I wanted more so I studied, took a test and became a ham operator. I have talked DX with only 4 watts and my quad antenna on CB. Now I can run 200W and have the pleasure of operating different bands with a bunch of great people. I do see an intrusion into 10 meters by 11 M folks. Hey why do it illegally? Became a ham, keep your cb heritage and your cbs for that matter. Use them well and legally for a happier place for everyone. Ham radio as opened many doors for me and if you try it you will see what I mean.

[ram1500]

i have a radio that can do all the other channels but i just stay on the CB freqs. how hard is it to to get the license to opperate and what are there limits for the useage

[kapi-0465]

Getting your ham license is fairly easy and you no longer have to know morse code. As a technician class license holder (your first step) you have many operating privilages. Part of 10, 6, 2 M's and others. There are many sites on the internet to get you started learning. I will go back and put up another post of some links that you may like. You can even take practice test to see if you are ready. It seemed a bit difficult for me at first, but I just opened up and things started to piece together. Looking back it was easy. The people I have met have had nothing but a good word for me and offer help. It's like a close knit community.
DX will be good on 10 M soon, six not as much, and 2 meter is mostly local and repeater use. 2M is fun though, you get to meet all the old hams with all the knolwedge. You would have to upgrade your license to general class for the lower HF frequencies where all the good DX is from most of the year. Thats my next step.

73
John KB3TTP

[atfguy]

What's with the amount of HAMS coming in and crying to us lately.... You realize the Majority of the TONS of CB'ers operate legally?

[atfguy]

I appoligize, i misread something that made me think rudely


HAM sounds cool. i am getting my tech in Feb.

[kapi-0465]

Thats ok, i mean no rudness either,, i will still use my CB, Now I have a lot more.
Here is a good place of study for your ham license,, it is a pod cast,, no reading, just listing.

[Please login or register to view this link]

[Night Crawler]

I have talked DX with only 4 watts and my quad antenna on CB.

If you have talked more then 150 miles on the 11 meter citizens band that's illegal.

Became a ham

I have been for over 30 years.

[atfguy]

I have talked DX with only 4 watts and my quad antenna on CB.

If you have talked more then 150 miles on the 11 meter citizens band that's illegal.


Actually..... it's 155.3 Miles

[miko]

I endorse everything that Kapi says, I hold a full (A) licence in the UK and it's never been easier to get onto the Ham bands. I've been licenced 22 years and had to do 2 written exam papers and the morse. Go for it, you've nothing to lose and everything to gain. No need to give up 11m cos it'll always be a fun band with a great bunch of guys.

[HorseFeather]

I appoligize, i misread something that made me think rudely


HAM sounds cool. i am getting my tech in Feb.

Ham is cool... Just don't forget where your roots are. Once a CB'er goes Ham, they usually begin to bash CB.

[kapi-0465]

My roots are deep (1975) Will always enjoy the CB and friends made there, and I can't see myself bashing anybody. If you will notice my handle here, it is actually my original CB callsign issued by the FCC.

[Circuit Breaker]

I don't bash either side. I started out in CB in the mid-80s at the age of 16. I got my novice license two years later and I'm an extra class today. I, honestly, don't care if CBers use all the power in the world or run on "freeband" because I used to do it too and I'm not a hypocrite. However, I don't see why CBers need to encroach on the 10M band when they have so many other quiet frequencies to use. When I ran "freeband" I never transmitted on 10M because I had respect for the people who studied, took their tests, and earned the right to be there.

[715minigrass]

Where does the 10m start off 28mhz????

[Bullets]

There was a story in today's or yesterday's news about a local Ham operator here talking to people in Haiti and getting information about it. Here is the link if you all want to check it out. [Please login or register to view this link]

Can Hams radio talk that far on there own? Or is that DX like CB radios?

[jwalker48]

There was a story in today's or yesterday's news about a local Ham operator here talking to people in Haiti and getting information about it. Here is the link if you all want to check it out. [Please login or register to view this link]

Can Hams radio talk that far on there own? Or is that DX like CB radios?

That's the beauty of amateur radio. YES! Indeed, they can and do it with SMALL amounts of power, too! The average high frequency ham radio usually features 100 watts in stock form. With that 100 watts, a licensed ham can talk AROUND the world with ease!! They have DX that CB operators never, or rarely HEAR of!
One reason is, they have literally MILLIONS of frequencies, almost an infinite number of them within their bands that range from 3500 KHZ up into the GIGAHERTZ range (microwave and beyond!) Last night, for example, I was MOBILE and was listening to a station in the SOUTH OF SPAIN as if he were in the car with me!!! Frequency was 7.185 MHZ in the 40 Meter band.
Some of the best DX is found on 14 MHZ, the 20 Meter band. Part of being a General Class ham is learning HOW to take advantage of DX, how to find the best frequency for a given task (or contact). Ham radio is NOT "channelized" like CB which is one of the things that gives hams the flexibility to choose their own frequency of operation.

Because of the dedication to their hobby and their training, hams are called upon often to assist in disasters such as Haiti. Their radios, often some of the most modern in the world when it comes to features and abilities, can "reach" around the world and are, sometimes, the ONLY link to the outside in a disaster.

There is NO comparison with CB or ham radio; they are TWO distinct things and serve a different purpose. CB is mostly a "consumer appliance" with LIMITED function and restrictive rules (altho many CBers disobey them due to 1) misleading
information by their peers, 2) never reading the rules of the service, 3)lack of understanding about what their misguided uses do to other operators. By that I am talking about how some CBers see "stepping on 'mudducks'" as a VIRTUE rather than a VICE, and MORE POWER is the do-all, BE-ALL of radio! Its NOT! Hams can often do with 5 watts what it takes a CBER a thousand to do. Its NOT about "ham radio being 'better' than CB; it's just that ham radio has the advantage of training, frequency agility, and a better public image.

So the obvious thing to do would be to TEST for the license. It is sort like a hobby
'going back to college' where you can get a useful education! Whether you simply use it as a hobby, use it to find a vocation (you CAN!), or to help people in emergencies such as Haiti, it will provide you satisfaction of achievement.


Humpy

[Bullets]

I'll have to look into ham when I get older, seems like the radios are a bit more pricey.. but it definitely has gotten my interest. Thanks for the info!

[jwalker48]

Amateur radios, like anything else, can be "pricey", but, OTH, they can be surprisingly inexpensive. With the Technician license (entry level), you can begin with a simple VHF (2 Meter), single-band radio that gets you into 144-148 MHZ range. These often use "repeaters" that permit signals to travel over several STATES and do so with telephone quality. I have seen older 2 Meter rigs sell for $35 in working condition! Visit [Please login or register to view this link], and [Please login or register to view this link] for more info on the test. Don't let equipment stop you; there's hams who are 7 years old!!!!!!!!!!! The tests aren't hard, the hobby is FUN, FUN, FUN!
Check it out! Its like getting into a hot bath; you stick your toe in, then ease in the other one, then your butt.....................and so on!!!
A little at a time. Ham radio is the same way!


jwalker48

[Night Crawler]

Where does the 10m start off 28mhz????

Amateur HF Bands
[Please login or register to view this link]

[HorseFeather]

Ham also goes up into the Ghz frequencies too.

[Night Crawler]

He wanted to know where the 10 meter band started.
I gave him the HF Bandplan.

[Shaft]

Moved this to the Misc Radio section since it is about Ham. Don't let this turn into a Hamwinkie bash fest.

[Lost Ram]

I am taking my test in FEB.

[WESTGATE]

lol...a hamwinkie bashfest....just have the electric company run 3 dedicated transformers to ur house just to run ur 50,000 watt amp on channel 6

[517 squirrel]

I honestly think hams are cool I've wanted to get my license for the last few months BUT finding the time to take the test is gonna be hard I usually work from 6 am till 5 pm and don't get home till almost 7 so how would I be able to take a test with a screwed up schedule like that my weekends are always up in the air due to being on call service tech for generators any info would be great thanks

[raDIO MAN]

when i get old.
ill get my ticket